The World In Common

Within the next few chapters of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Bruno has continued to visit his new "best-friend-for-life" Schmuel. Bruno and Schmuel find that, over numorous conversations, they are like the same boy growing up in different circumstances. Bruno has led a life of wealth and privilige, while Schmuel, on the other hand, has grown up in a flat above his fathers watch shop. One day Schmuel tells Bruno about when and how his life began to change. Schmuel says that at first he wasn't allowed to ride his bicycle anymore, and then soon after he had to wear an armband with a star on it. Bruno believes that the star Schmuel had to wear is the same thing as the red and black armband his Father has to wear. Schmuel later tells Bruno that he was forced to move into a tiny apartment with eleven other people for several months, and soon after him and his family were forced into a crowded train to come to the camp. Bruno finds their stories almost identicle, because he was also forced to leave his home to come move into the camp, although he says his train was not as crowded. These last chapters were very moving because they show how the most different two boys in the world, who, society says, should hate eachother, find they have the world in common.